Error message on my DM 4800

Here's at least one reference point. You can see my system specs in my signature. My average project is always recorded at 88.2khz and my CPU runs about 20-23% without a hiccup. I usually run between 35-40 tracks and an average of 3-4 plugins per track, except when bussing, plus EQ. All mixing is done in the box as well. Using a PCI FireWire card, DPC checker reports an average of 200-300us when playing my full cubase projects with my FireWire card set to 256k buffer. When project is stopped, DPC checker reports 30-75us. No dropouts ever reported.
 
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Gents, there's a lot of speculation but below are a number of facts that I think we should view to discount the "maybes":

1/ the audio stoppage has occurred whether a Mac or Windows PC is connected or not
2/ the audio stoppage has occurred whether PT or Reaper or Wavelab is running on said computer or not
3/ I never use any plugins
4/ 99% of my DM running is at 96K, however the stoppage has occured at 44.1K
5/ 99% of stoppages occur after extended running (6 hrs-ish), however it has occurred once just after boot up of the DM
6/ I never use any groups in the DM
7/ DM Automation is turned off 99% of the time
8/ confirmed that the clock lights are also cycling after the stoppage

Noteworthy items:
a/ I rarely run TMC but it happened to be running during the last stoppage (yesterday - and that was the first stoppage for a couple of months)
b/ I currently have firewire, 2 x analog and surround cards, but the first stoppage occured before I installed the analog and surround cards
c/ I have done a factory reset in the past and have had stoppages since then
d/ my DM has been in the same location since new (i.e. not gigged or transported)
e/ my DM was purchased new and has only been used by me
f/ as Jim noted, Tascam replaced the motherboard under warranty when this occured
g/ I'm estimating the stoppage has occured less than once a month, perhaps once every 2 months, but I have not kept a record of this
h/ The stoppage has never occured twice in a row, or even twice in a week

As Dan suggested, I will remove / reseat my firewire card today to remove that element of doubt.

Based on the above I'm thinking that it's narrowed down to an intermittent motherboard based internal clock issue or a power brownout issue.

fwiw I purchased my DM from a U.S. dealer and had it shipped to Oz (as it was only half the price of purchasing one in Oz). The risk was that the Oz distributor doesn't honour U.S. warranty.
 
Ok a clue to me is the 99% of the time the error occurs after 6-hours.

Perhaps this a temp related problem. What is the temp of the room the DM is in after 6-hours? What ever it is, the DM is likely to be at least 25-degress hotter.

There could be one or more components over heating and/or the DM power supply over heating or not functioning correctly after long periods of being powered on. Heat is the enemy of electronics and heat issues can cause all kinds of issues that an be observed as weird and random.

I'd suggest getting something like a standing fan and have it blow across the side of the DM where the power supply is located.

I've been doing this on warmer days not so much because of any specific heat issue with the DM but to help reduce heat build up in the DM and to help keep the LCD display last longer before the dreaded lines.

Another thing you could do as an experiment is to turn if off the DM after 3-4 hours for at least 30-45 min and then power on again for no more than 3-4 hours and see after a few cycles if the problem once again rears it's head.
 
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That's a good thought AudioWave - I should have added that info to my blurbing on as I have a thermometer and barometer in the studio....

I live near the coast in Oz where the temperature is very stable, and my studio is in the downstairs of a stoneblock house, so again, a very stable temp environment. In winter (now) it never goes below 10C and in Summer it never goes above 25C - in Summer I have a fan and in Winter sometimes a small heater. I also have good ventilation as I'm in the country and have the door and window open most times.

Yesterday it was 15C in the cave when the audio stoppage occurred.......

The humidity is another factor worth considering and it is normally med/high at around 70% +/- 10%.

<edit> forgot to add that my DM is always the clock master - an important point and relates to Mr Cmaffia's point about the FS LEDs cycling.
 
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captdan said:
.....when I'm flying in the higher 96kz elevations. That's because I pilot a metaphorical aging Lear Jet, not a modern Boeing 787D_Liner. :)
Click to expand...
I can relate...
 
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Resurrecting this old thread. I had this issue too with my 2nd used DM3200. It was happening more and more as time went on. It got to the point where it would happen every other session after 4-6 hours of usage. After troubleshooting with Redbus, I opted to purchase the (very expensive) DSP board replacement. It will be a year this December that I replaced it and haven't seen the error message since. If you get this error regularly, I believe you will have to do the same eventually. I did install an internal fan right next to the DPS board and that seemed to diminish the error which pointed to Redbus' assertion that the chips were overheating. However, I don't believe the overheating was due to environmentals because there's another DM3200 right next to it without issue. I strongly believe the overheating of the DSP board was a symptom rather than the cause. The DSP chips were most likely failing/defective based on what Redbus had told me.

Part Number: DDMP2 SV Pack V00167600A.
Retail cost is $509.86 plus shipping.
 
Experiencing this issue now as well on my 4800. Where is that part number sourced from Cmaffia, Tascam? and is it the same part for the 4800?
Thanks
 
That seller is a forum user and I purchased the first DSP board he was selling as a spare a few months back so purchase with confidence.
 
Awesome thanks! What's his forum handle? I may have some install questions
 
It's simple. I can walk you through it. 4 screws and it plugs directly to main board. Or you can contact him through eBay.
 
I experienced this error 4 times this week after having the board running for several hours. I'm running Logic Pro X, Mac Mini via firewire and USB. I turned off the board and all was well again. I was thinking, living in Nashville where it has been very hot, that this might be a brown out issue with the electricity. I have it plugging into an UPS, but once it happened when the AC unit kicked on. I hope that is all it is. I'll keep you all informed. I need this board up an running faithfully. But I hate gremlins and random issues.
 
Again most likely its the DSP board and has nothing to do with what is connected to the mixer. UPS and voltage regulators did nothing for me. The error will happen more often as time progresses if in fact it is the DSP chipsets that are failing. I have not seen the error for over 3 years now since I replaced the board. NYC summers have my studio at 85 degrees sometimes so I am convinced, as RedBus suggested, it was the failing DSP daughterboard.
 
Is this a hard thing to replace yourself?
 
Not at all.
 
Can you give a brief explanation. Is it accessible from the bottom?
 
Also, are the parts readily available?
 
If you go to www.2seeme.com they have great instructions on how to dismantle the DM3200/4800. Once opened you can see it easily see the daughterboard right in the center off the mainboard...2 screws and a socket.

As far as parts, I provided the part number earlier in the thread. I've seen it sold from parted systems on eBay or you can call Tascam Parts department.
 
Thanks. Unfortunately the link doesn’t seem to be working.
 
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